Pipe handling machine



April 1968 F.v EJBURLETT 3,376,933

PIPE HANDLING MACHINE Filed May 5, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 W90 Man v April1968 F. BURLETT 3,376,933

PIPE HANDLING MACHINE Filed May 5, 1966 2 Sheets-Shet r';

MIA MW I United States Patent My invention relates to well equipment andpertains more particularly to a device for conveniently handling pipeand for lowering and raising lengths of pipe into drilled wells.

There has been a great growth in rise of drilled wells for watersupplies in recent years. It is not uncommon for wells to be constructedthat run many hundreds of feet in depth. Usual practice is to place asubmersible pump at or near the bottom of the well. A pipe, which may becopper, steel, galvanized iron, or plastic, runs within the well casingto the pump, and serves as the suspending element for the pump as wellas the conduit for water to be delivered.

The lowering of a pump is at present a tedious, somewhat hazardousoperation. Pipe lengths of approximately 20 feet are added (withsuitable couplings) as the pump is lowered into the well until thedesired depth is reached. With increasing depth the weight of theaccumulated pipe and pump increases, and in deep wells the problem ofkeeping in control of the process becomes formidable. There are twogeneral method now used in this work. In one, a tripod is erected overthe well, and with the use Of pipe vises and chain hoists, the pipe islaboriously let down (or raised) a section at a time. Another methodemploys a hydraulic hoist, which may be mounted on a truck or drill rig.In the former case much time and effort is called for; in the lattercase the equipment is expensive and cumbersome at best.

In accordance with my invention I provide a simple mechanical device bywhich one man can perform the entire operation. My machine is easilyunderstood, maintained and repaired, and can be used on the well sitewithout requiring the use of expensive auxiliary equipment.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference may now be madeto the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in whichFIGURE 1 is a view in elevation of my device shown mounted and inoperation over a well opening;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an outline view, in elevation, of my unit in transportableform.

Referring now more particularly in FIGURES l and 2, it will be seen thatmy device is assembled on a central structural rib 6 which carries aspeed reducer gear box 7, and upon which are journaled a pair of wheelsapowered wheel 9 and an idler wheel 8. These are not unlike automobileWheels, and in fact standard wheels with pneumatic tires may be used.For reasons which will later be apparent, I prefer to use tires having aflat, treadless face.

The wheel 9 is driven under suitable power by means of a motor 10secured on a bracket 11 pivotally mounted at the end of the rib 6 asshown in FIGURE 1. The motor in FIGURE 1 is shown as an electrical powersource, while the motor shown in FIGURE 2 is gasoline driven. In thecase of a gas engine, the pivotable bracket 11 provides a convenientclutching means whereby the operator may decouple the power bydepressing the bracket 11 at the left of the pivot, best shown in FIGURE2. In the case of electrical power, suitable controls, not shown, may beprovided.

The motor drive is carried to the gear box 7 by a belt 12 to input shaft13. I find it convenient to use a 40 to 1 worm gear reduction in the box7, which results in an 3,3 76,933 Patented Apr. 9, 1968 output shaft 14at right angles to the input shaft 13. A chain drive 15 completes thepower transmission to the wheel 9.

Both wheels 8 and 9 are journaled in bearings the housings of which arepivotally mounted on the rib 6. This is best shown in FIGURE 2. When thebelt 12 is removed, the wheel 9, the gear box 7 and the chain drive 15are all free to rotate about the axis of pin 16. The idler wheel 8 issimilarly arranged so that it and its associated bearing assembly mayrotate about a pin corresponding to pin 16 on the other side of theunit. I provide a short hollow tube 17 extending from the bearinghousings for each of the wheels 8 and 9. The lengths of the tubes 17 areso chosen that their ends join on a common axis when the wheel 9 isrotated ninety degrees around the pin 16 (counterclockwise looking downon FIGURE 2) and when the wheel 8 is similarly rotated around its pin 16ninety degrees (clockwise looking down on FIGURE 2). The two tubes 17may then be conveniently clamped together.

When this has been accomplished, the wheels 8 and 9 are no longeroriented in a common plane (as in FIG- URES l and 2) but lie in parallelplanes as in FIGURE 3. In this position it will be seen that my unitbecomes a trailer, with the wheels 8 and 9 serving in a conventionalway, and the rib '6 comprising the body. Thus the entire machine may betransported and a conventional hitch used to attach it to a truck, auto,or the like. The wheel spindles themselves may be hollow, the tubes 17being extensions thereof; in which case a shaft may be slipped throughboth to secure the wheels in the position shown in FIGURE 3.

An associated unit serving to mount the device over a well will now bedescribed. A mounting plate may be clamped to the top of a Well casing19 by means of a pair of chain vises 20. The plate 18 carries a notchedextension 21 which is adapted to receive a crossbar 22 aflixed to theend of the rib 6. A threaded stud 23 on the plate 18 provides means tosecure the unit with a nut 24.

The opertion of my unit now be described. As explained above, themachine can be carried to the site in the form of a trailer (FIGURE 3).It may be wheeled by one man to the exact site of the well. After theplate 18 is clamped into position, the crossbar 22 is dropped into thenotched extension 21 and the rib 6 (along with the entire assembly) isprovided about crossbar 22 into the upright position. It is theresecured by stud 23 and nut 24. Any other convenient clamping means couldhere be employed.

The ends of the tubes 17 are then separated and the two wheel units arebrought around, about pins 16 to substantially the coplanar position ofFIGURE 1. At this point, the first section of pipe 25 may be positionedbetween the wheels. A tie rod 26 is then used to bring the wheelstogether with suitable pressure against the pipe 25. This is done byrotating the nut 27 on the threaded portion of the tie rod 26. I havefound that an air pressure in the tires of about 60 lbs. will providesuflicient force against a 1 /2" pipe, when the rubber surfacesjoinalong the line 28, to support over 3,500 lbs. This far exceeds thetotal weight of pump and pipe for wells of any practical depth.

Upon rotation of the Wheel 9 under power (counter clockwise in FIGURE 1)the pipe 25, to which a suitable submersible pump has been afiixed maybe run down into the well. Normally, pipe sections are used which areabout twenty feet in length, and this distance has been safely traversedwith my device in about forty seconds. The power is then interrupted anda coupling 29 is added to the threaded end of pipe 25.

I also provide a guide stand which (for 20 foot pipes) rises about tenfeet above the machine when threaded into the end member 31. A gate 32to loosely hold the pipe in slidable position is operated by a cablepull 33.

The succeeding section of pipe is passed up against the open gate(providing a convenient fulcrum) and threaded to the section alreadybetween wheels 8 and 9 and extending downwardly into the well. Thecoupling 29 is the joining means, and the process is then repeated. Pipewrenches are used to secure the joint as is well understood in thetrade.

It was found that the slightly enlarged portion caused by the coupling29 passes easily between the tires with no loss of gripping force. Thusno special operation is required in passing from section to section asthe pipe is lowered into the well. For additional safety a U-shapedcollar 34 may be slipped over the pipe to stop it at the next collar,should control for any reason he lost. It should be understood that acoupling 35 is added to each section of pipe before it is attached tothe preceding section.

In raising a pump from a well for servicing, the above process isreversed. This operation is equally important and is often required inthe maintenance of water systems. In wells which may run hundreds offeet in depth, my unit makes it possible for one man to perform theentire process, with a great saving in time and effort. Expensiveauxiliary machinery (such as drill rigs, hydraulic hoists, or trucks) isnot required. Furthermore, a variety of pipe sizes and types may beaccommodated without expensive changes in the equipment. The resilientmeans afforded by the pneumatic tires will accept a variety of pipesizes. Also, if plastic or thin walled copper piping is used, thepressure against the pipe can be readily adjusted by a combination oftie rod tension (nut 27) or pneumatic pressure in the tires. In allcases, the hold on the pipe is over a large area, and the unit pressureis held well below the yield point of the pipe being used. In very deepwells it may be useful to use rubber tires impregnated with abrasive toincrease the coefiicient of friction but this has not been foundnecessary for wells of as much as 500 feet in depth.

The surface condition of the pipe appears to have little effect on theability of my machine to control the lifting or dropping operation. Inlifting, the pipe is usually wet and often has a slippery coating. Thetires effectively squeeze this off, and no loss in lifting power hasbeen observed. While I have described the basic principles of myinvention and illustrated the same with a particular embodiment, it willbe appreciated that many engineering refinements within the spirit andscope of the claims will occur to skilled persons in this field. Forexample, in an electrically powered transmission, an automatic shut offmay be provided in the form of a limit switch 36 operated by thecoupling 35. The operator can then be preparing the next section ofpipe, as the machine operates.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device for raising and lowering an elongated cylindrical objectcomprising a frame, a pair of pneumatic wheels journaled in coplanarrelationship on said frame, means for forcing said wheels together intheir common plane thereby to grip said object therebetween, andselective power means for rotating at least one of said wheels, to movesaid object along its axis.

2. A device according to claim 1 including power interrupting meansactuated by an enlarged portion of said object.

3. A device according to claim 1 including a guide stand to support theportion of said object above the portion gripped between said wheels.

4. A device according to claim 1 in which said wheels contain anabrasive ingredient thereby to increase the coeificient of frictionbetween said wheels and said object.

5. A device according to claim 1 in which pneumatic pressure in saidwheels is variable to thereby vary the intensity of the grip on saidobject.

6. A device according to claim 1 in which said wheels are rotatable tolie in substantially parallel planes and upon which said device may thenbe transported.

7. A device according to claim 6 in which said power means arereversible.

8. A device according to claim. 6 in which the means for forcing saidwheels together comprise a threaded tie rod and nut.

9. A device according to claim 1 and including means for mounting saidframe over the pipe opening of a well to position same for the loweringof said object into said well.

10. A device according to claim 9 in which said means for mountingcomprise a plate, vise means to clamp said plate to said pipe, and meansto secure said frame member to said plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 812,131 2/1906 Hoekstra 254-301,387,944 7/1920 Price 254-30 1,640,458 8/1927 Ledig et al. 25430 X2,433,477 12/1947 OQuinn et al 254--30 2,843,358 7/1958 Anderson 25430CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD E. FAVREAU, Assistant Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR RAISING AND LOWERING AN ELONGATED CYLINDRICAL OBJECTCOMPRISING A FRAME, A PAIR OF PNEUMATIC WHEELS JOURNALED IN COPLANARRELATIONSHIP ON SAID FRAME, MEANS FOR FORCING SAID WHEELS TOGETHER INTHEIR COMMON PLANE THEREBY TO GRIP SAID OBJECT THEREBETWEEN, ANDSELECTIVE POWER MEANS FOR ROTATING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID WHEELS, TO MOVESAID OBJECT ALONG ITS AXIS.